Google partners with NBA to deliver the virtual Pixel Arena within the NBA App

NBA and Google made a partnership and created the Pixel Arena, allowing NBA fans to experience the game on a whole new level. The virtual space is based on live in-game action featuring the 2022 NBA Playoffs within the NBA mobile app.

The Pixel Arena will let NBA fans experience the game in different ways by introducing various ways to explore the virtual world. Apart from the NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel and NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV, the Arena will let users pick specific games to enter, including present and past games. Through these options, users have the liberty to explore and navigate the 3D virtual arena using the phone’s gyroscope. In addition, there will be avatars that gamers can create and customize using the outfit and accessories of the team they are supporting.

Meanwhile, to satisfy the cravings for details of the game fans using the Pixel Arena, Google and NBA will let users review how the teams and top scorers performed in the game. This will be available during halftime and post-game, wherein the shots will be mapped via 3D animation based on the real-time NBA data from the first half of the game.

On the other hand, during halftime, app users will also get the chance to test their knowledge of this prestigious game through game-specific trivia based on live NBA data feeds. Succeeding with the trivia and attending the games will help you climb the leaderboard, improve your avatar, and create content that you can share with your NBA-fan online friends.

According to Daryl Butler, Google U.S. Devices & Services Marketing Vice President, this is the “first immersive experience” that it developed together with NBA with the objective to help fans connect during the live games. “The experience brings a whole new meaning to courtside,” says Butler in a blog post.

Surprisingly, despite the name it bears that reads “Pixel Arena,” Google promises that it will stay true to its “For all the fans” tagline. With this, Google says that the experience will be accessible to all, whatever device they are using or the device’s operating system.